Bicycle



G. W. SAGE, JR.

BICYCLE.

APPLICATION FILED 007.26.1923.

vvue 144501 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

G. W. SAGE, JR.

BICYCLE.

APPLICATION men on. 26, 1920.

1,429,]. 07'. r Patented p 12, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

I u l r wlll 1n part hereinafter become apparent,

Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

GEORGE w. SAGE, an, on PORT CHESTER, NEW YORK;

' BICYCLE.

Application filed 0ct0ber2'e 1920. Serial No. 419,593,

This invention relates to improvements in bicycles, and more particularly to the front or steering forks thereof and connections therefor. I

The object in view is the absorbing and cushioning of shocks delivered through the front wheel and its connections to those portions of the body of the rider sustained thereby. v A further object in view is the provision of such cushioning means'with a minimum variation fromaccepted types of commercial forks. v

With these and further objects in view a and in part be stated,,the invention comprises certain-novel constructions, combinations'and arrangements of parts as subsequently specified and claimed.

In the accompanying. drawing s, I Figure l'is-a view in side elevation of the front portion of a bicycle, parts being broken away. Figure 2 is ail-enlarged, detail, fragmentary view, partlyin elevation and partly 1n section, of a fork embodying the features of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a side elevation thereoffthe lower portions of the fork and a fragment of the lowerportion of the mud-guard being seen, and parts being shown in section. Figure 4C is a-transverse, vertlcal section taken on the planes indicated by line of Figure 2, and looking upward. I

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken'on the planes indicated by l1ne5 5 of Figure 2, and looking in the; direction lndlcated by the arrows, parts being shown in elevation.v

Figure 6 is a view *simi-lar'to Figure'5 of a slightly modified embodiment of the invention. a

Figure 7, is; a horizontal section through the lower portions of the arms of the fork and through the mud-guard and itsconnem tion, parts being seen in plan.

in elevation and partly in vertical section on the'plane indicated by line 8-8 of Figure Referring 1 indicates the frameof a bicycle having the usual head 2 through which extendsthe usual stem or steering-post8 ofthefront forks, which latter consist of a pair of arms between which is journaled the frontv to the drawings by numerals,

i Figure 8 is an enlarged, detail View, partly wheel l of the bicyclefiEach of said arms is identicalwith the other and tl1e .description of the-details of one is equally applicable to the other. 'The fork is made upof the said arms connected by atransverse headb from which the stem 3 upstands, the

transverse head being offth'e usual com-' mercial type consisting, in the particular embodiment illustrated in the drawings,fof

spaced transversely-arranged plates: Each arm of the forkconsists of a tubular'section 6 fixed to one end of the transverse head a 5 and telescoping with re'spectfto a; section 7 oftubing which extends down to'andjcarfries the axle 8 ofithe wheel 4. Thetubijn-g of tl16"S6CtlOI1Sf6 and 7,'as' clearly seen in Figure 4;,is transverselyoval and longitu dinally tapered, taperlngdownwardfrom the transverse head 5 to the lower'po'int of the respectivearm of the fork. Because of the longitudinal taper, the telescoping portions'ofthe s'ectioiisG and? would bei i i come loose fitting as they move toward/"a nested or more completely"telescopedicon dition, which for convenience will becal'led inward, if provision-were not madeto-prevent such aresult, and relative. movement in the opposite direction ofsections 6*and' 7, which a will be hereinafter called outward,

would effect closer; fitting or tightening" of enable-the sections to "freelyireciprocate or move .in and out 1 with respect 't'o each 'other without varying the relative fi't between the two sections, the section 6fis provided with the sections; if not provided? against. a "To plates .9, 9 filling the terminal portions of the ellipse described by a cross section vided withplates 10, 10 for presenting-flat faces toward 'and'in engagement with the flat faces of the; plates 9. 'Pla'tes' '9. and 10 taper longitudinally, that is-become thinner, in the' directionin which theparticular sections or 7 becomes narrower incident i to its taper, so that the distance between the flat faces of th two plates 10 is the same at one end of the plates as it is at the other and this is also'true of the distance between the fiat faces of the plates 9, so that the plates 9 and 10 provide a closely fitting guide for allowing free reciprocation of the sections 6 and 7 whilepreventing rattling or loosening of the parts. To prevent complete separation of the sections, a transverse pin 11 is provided, extending through section 7 and being anchored to section 6. The pin 11 preferably assumes the form of a simple rivet and the walls of section 7 are slotted at 12 to accommodate the pin 11, and at the same time permit longitudinal movement of section 7 with respect to section 6. For maintaining the section 7 at its lowermost point normally and for cushioning the telescoping action of the sections, a spring 13 is arranged in the section 6. The spring13 is preferably transversely shaped to conform to the interior shape of,

section 6 and has its upper end resting against a portion of the transverse head 5 with its lower end resting against the upper end of section 7, so thatsection 7 is stressed downward under spring tension at all times. The section 6 may be secured to the transverse head 5 in any of various well known ways, as, for example, by being passed through the lower plate of the head and abutted against the upper plate thereof, and then brazed to the two plates.

The structure thus arranged insures a resilient connection between the wheel l and the frame of the bicycle, so that in passing over rough roads or obstacles, the give of the springs 13 is added to the cushioning effect of the tire of wheel l in affording a resilient support for the hands of the operator and for so much of the weight of his body as may be delivered through his hands.

Since the axle of wheel l is thus capable of assuming variable distances from the head 2, it is apparent that connections for the lower portion of a mud guard for wheel 4 may not be had with lower portions of the fork unless provisionbe made to com pensate for such variations. Tothis end, the mud guard 14:, which isconnected to the transverse head 5 in the usual manner and extends downwardly about the wheel 1, has its lower portion connected by rods 15 pivoted at their forward ends to the lower portions of th arms of the fork. The detail construction of the pivotal connection of the rods 15 is best seen in Figures 7 and'8, wherein the section 7 is shown as having one of its walls apertured and provided internally with a nut 16 into which is threaded the cap screw 17 ha'ving'the shouldered or journal portion 18 about which extends the portions of the eye 19 formed at the forneeaiov ward end of the respective rod 15. The rear ends of the rods 15 are connected by being penetrated by a bolt 20, which extends through the crown 21 of the guard 14. The bolt 20 is provided with appropriate nuts at its ends for securing the rods 15 and between the ends of the rods 15 the bolt 20 is surrounded by sleeve sections 22, 22 and 23. The crown 21 of mud-guard let is offset from the main portion of the mud-guard, providing shoulders through which the bolt 20 extends, and the several sleeve sections 22 and 23 are arranged to abut against the said shoulders and provide spacers so as to keep the rods 15 properly spaced apart. To avoid tendency on the p :t of the rod 20 to move longitudinally, it is preferable to provide rivet which extends through the sleeve section 23 and a portion of the rod 20. Since the sleeve section cannot move longitudinally because of its endwise engagement with the shoulders ofcrown 21, the rod 20 is efifectively held against longh tudinalshifting inci .ent to possible loosen ing of the nuts on the rod.

igure 6 l have shown a sligltl in modified embodiment of the invention in which the same reference numerals are applied to identical parts and the same description will apply, the modification consisting essentially in arranging the section 6 to telescope with sections 7' in a manner to prevent loosening by expanding the walls of both sections at those portions which would be ordinarily reduced by virtue of the longitudinal taper. The arms of the fork having the sections 6 and 7 are tapered the same as that above described, save for the telescoping portions of said sections which telescoping portions are shaped by expansion to conform in size and contour to each other so as to provide an effective guide as clearly seen in Figure 6. v The sections are, of course, tubular and of trans versely elliptical" form.

It should be obvious that as the mudguard 14 is rigidly anchored at its upper portion to the transverse head 5, the move ment of the rods 15 incident to telescopic action of sections 7 ment of the lower portion of the guard 14:, but such movement will be slight and will be in the nature of a spring action on the part of the guard 14: as a whole.

What is claimed is 1. In a bicycle fork, the combination with a transverse head and a steering post upstanding therefrom, of fork arms extending downwardly from the head and each comprising telescoping sections of longitudinally tapering form, means for cushioning the movement of one of the sections relative to the other, and means for limiting the extent of telescoping movement of the sections, the telescoping portions of the secwill effect a movetions being shaped and proportioned with respect to each other for preventing lateral or edgewise play.

2. In a bicycle fork, the combination with a transverse head and a steering post upstanding therefrom, of fork arms extending downwardly from the head and each comprising downwardly tapering telescoping sections of transversely elliptical form, and means for cushioning the movement of one of the sections relative to the other. a

3. In a bicycle fork, the combination with a transverse head and a steering post upstanding therefrom, of fork arms extending downwardly from the head and each comprising telescoping sections of transversely elliptical form tapering downwardly throughout their length, and means for cushioning the movement of one of the sections relative .to the other, the sections being shaped and proportioned relative to each other such as to ya r 4c. In a bicycle fork, the combination with a transverse head and a steering post upstanding therefrom, of fork arms extending downwardly from the head and each comprising downwardly tapering telescoping sections of transversely elliptical form, means for cushioning the movement of one of the sections relative to the other, and plates fixed to the respective sections and proportioned to compensate for variations I incident to the taper and elliptic form of the sections by providing engaging'portions of a telescoping direction.

prevent edgewise or lateral the plates proportioned toprevent relative movement of the sections otherwise-than in 5, In a bicycle fork, the combination with a transverse head and a steering post upversely elliptical telescoping sections, and a helical spring, substantially elliptical transversely, disposed within the upper section of each armand arranged between the lower section of the respective arm and a portion of the sections. I a

6. In a bicycle structure, the combinastanding therefrom, of fork arms pendent from the head and each comprising transtion of a front fork formed with arms comprising cushioned telescoping sections, av mud guard attached to the fork and extend ing partway about a front wheeland hav-' mg an offset crown providing outstanding shoulders, a bolt extending through the shoulders of the crown of the guard. and

beyond the edges of the guard, rods pivoted,

to the arms and to the extended end portions of the bolt,'and spacing sleeves mounted on the bolt between the shoulders of the crown and the engaging ends 'of the rods. In testimony 1n presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

HELEN G. MUENGH, I [WILLIAM C. YOUNG. H

whereof I afiix mysignature I GEORGE w. SAGE, a; 

